Spindle and the method of lubricating the same



C. H. CHAPMAN Spindle and the Method of Lubricating the Same. No.233,474. Patented Oct. 19, |880.

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CHARLES H. CHAPMAN, OF SHIRLEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF CF HIS RIGHT TO LEVIWALLACE, OF AYER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPINDLE AND THE METHOD OF LUBRICATING THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,474, dated October19, 1880.

Application filed January 30, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES H. CHAPMAN, ofShirley, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain Improvements in Spindles and in the Method ofLubricating the Same, of' which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide certain improvements inspindles, whereby sliding such spindles longitudinally on theirstandards, as in the operation of dofng the bobbins, will, by apump-like or vacuum action, cause an upward flow of oil from a reservoirto lubricate the bearing-surfaces of the spindle and the fixed standardon which it rotates.

My invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed todescribe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, Figure lrepresents a longitudinal vertical section of a live-spindle and itssupport embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a similar view, showing thespindle raised; and Fig. 3, a section on line x x of Fig. 1.

The same letters of reference are used to indicale like parts in all thegures.

In carrying out my invention I provide a tixed standard, a, rising froma cylindrical base, b, which is suitably attached to the rail c of aspinning-machine, and is chambered out around the standard a to form anoil-reservoir, d. The standard a has a longitudinal groove or channel,o, extending from its lower to its upper end, and is provided with anoilcup, B, at its upper end.

f represents the live-spindle, which is socketed in the oil-cup B of thestandard, and its lower end extends below the whirl t' and projects intothe oil-reservoir d, nearly to the bottom thereof, when in its normalposition, as seen in Fig. l, the said oil-reservoir being rather deeperand the live-spindle rather longer than usual. The spindle is providedwith a step, f', having an oval orrounded end fitting into a socket inthe endof the standard a, said socket being composed of a ring or tube,P, preferably to steady the step j" laterally. The lower end of the stepor pivot j" rests on a hardened-steel plate or bearing, It, the ring l?and bearing B being heldin a socket in the standard a, the upper part ofsaid socket forming the oil-cup B.

By this construction of spindle-bearing the spindle is caused to runwith but little friction as compared with the usual V-shaped step andbearing.

The ring P may be omitted, and the oil-cup B may extend entirely downtothe bearing R.

The oilcup always contains'oil enough to lubricate the step f', as willpresently appear.

The cylindrical base b is provided with a screw-cap, y, which covers thetop of' the oil-reservoir, and is constructed so as to form an outsidebearin g, h, which surrounds and fits snugly against the lower portionof the spindle f below the whirl, and assists in steadying the spindleand preventing it from vibrating when rotating rapidly, said outsidebearing being preferably an externally-threaded brass sleeve screwedinto the cap g.

The spindle fis movable longitudinally on the standard a, and its upwardmovement is limited by a stop, j, formed on or near its lower end, whichstop abuts against the cap g when the spindle is raised, as shown inFig. 2.

It will be seen that when the spindleis raised the upper endof itssocket, which receives the standard a, will be raised above the upperend of said standard, thereby forming a space, k, which is practically avacuum, and can only be lled by way ot the groove or channel e, thesocket of the spindle having no opening excepting at its lower end. Itfollows, therefore, that an upward flow of oil through the groove e willbe induced by atmospheric pressure or pump-like action, so that thespace k will be instantly lilled with oil, and when the spindle isallowed to descend all the oil, excepting that in the oil-cup B, will bepressed downwardly through the groove, e, and the interstice between thebearingsurfaces of the standard and spindle, thereby effectuallylubricatin g said bearing-surfaces, the oil not consumed in lubricatingreturning to the reservoir.

In practice the described upward movement of the spindle is effected bythe act of dofting the bobbin or raising the bobbin from the spindle forany cause, the bobbin sticking so closely to the spindle that both willmove together when the bobbin is lifted until the movement of thespindle isarrested by its stop jabutting against the cap g, asdescribed. The constant lubrication of the bearing-surfaces is thereforeinsured, the lubrication being practically automatic.

Y Oil is supplied to the reservoir through oritces l l in the cap y,Said ortices being surrounded by a tiange, h', which permits a quantityof oil to accumulate above the cap and pass from thence into thereservoir. These orices also supply air to the reservoir to take theplace of the oil raised by atmospheric pressure. The whirl i is providedwith a doWnWardly-projecting iiange, m, which pro tects the cap g t'romdust when the spindle is in its normal position, Fig. 1.

I do not. limit myself to the formation ot' a vacuum at the top ot' thestandard a by rais ing the spindle.I as the same result may be ploducedby depressing the standard without moving thc spindle, and to this endseveral standards may be moved simultaneously by suitable mechanismoperated by an attendant whenever it is desirable to lubrirate thespindles.

I am aware that it has been proposed to construct a spindle with agrooved standard and a tube or shell surrounding and inclosing suchstandard, the two forming a dead-spindle to receive a live-spindle, andproviding a bearing for such live-spindle ill the upper end of thestandard, to which oil is supplied by at'ountain containing a column ofoil acting upon the known principle ot'hydrostaticpressure.

I am also aware that a dead-spindle has been iliade with acircumterential spiral groove and an internal passage communicating withan oil-reservoir, and that to oil the live-spindle bearing at the top ofthe dead-spindle the rotation of the live-spindle is depended upon toforce the oil up the spiral groove, whence it returns to theoil-reservoir through the internal passage in the dead-spindle,maintaining, as it were, a constant circulation but I am not aware thatbefore my invention a grooved deadspindle or standard and a surroundinglivespindle of ordinary construction were so arranged as to admit oflubrication by atmospheric pressure after the manner of a pump orvacuum.

1. The combination, substantially as set forth, ot' an oil-reservoir, acap therefor, a standard rising from within said reservoir, a bearing onsaid standard for the spindle, a spindle supported in said bearing andmovable longitudinally with relation to said standard to form a vacuumabove the standard, causing an upward i'low of oil from the reservoir,and a stop, j, on said spindle, acting in conjunction with the cap tolimit the movement of the spindle, as speciled.

2. That improvement in the art of oiling spindles ofthe class having anoil-reservoir, a grooved standard, and alive-spindle supported upon suchstandard which consists in raising the oil from the reservoir to thebearing-surfaces of the spindle by atmospheric pressure superinduced bya longitudinal sliding motion of the live-spindle on the standard consequent upon doring the bobbin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of January,

CHARLES H. CHAPMAN. Witnesses:

LEVI WALLACE, E. H. HAYWARD.

